New indictment reveals Oath Keepers’ chaotic drive to Capitol, flood of communications on Jan. 6

The doc describes a harrowing journey by Minuta, James, and others in a gaggle of golf carts they took to get to the Capitol by way of D.C. site visitors. Minuta, wearing “battle attire”—hard-knuckle tactical gloves, ballistic goggles, a radio with an earpiece and bear spray— apparently texted a operating commentary because the passenger.

“Patriots are storming the Capitol constructing; there’s violence towards patriots by the D.C. police; so we’re en route in a grand theft auto golf cart to the Capitol constructing proper now . . . it’s taking place, guys; it’s actually taking place proper now Patriots storming the Capitol constructing . . .” Minuta allegedly said through the drive.

The addition brings to 12 the entire variety of Oath Keepers indicted for conspiracy to “cease, delay, or hinder Congress’s certification of the Electoral School vote.” Up to now, Rhodes has not been indicted, although prosecutors have been circling, and in every submitting look like getting closing to charging him alongside the others.

The indictment says Rhodes and his crew—together with an unnamed communications chief designated as “Particular person 10,” and three Oath Keepers who guarded Stone—engaged in “frequent and constant communication main as much as the assault.” General, they exchanged 19 cellphone calls over three hours that day:

• At about 1 p.m., Minuta and Rhodes exchanged two calls totaling about three minutes at roughly the identical time {that a} mob of Trump supporters first surged by way of police barricades onto Capitol grounds.
• From 1:59 to 2:15 p.m., over a 17-minute span, “Particular person 10” spoke with Rhodes, after which exchanged 5 calls with James totaling about 6½ minutes, whereas Rhodes known as Florida Oath Keeper Kelly Meggs—who led the “stack” formation—for 15 seconds. This was about the identical time the doorways to the Capitol had been first being breached.
• Rhodes then forwarded a message from “Particular person 10” telling the crew that the mob had “taken floor on the capital[.] We have to regroup any members who aren’t on mission.” “Particular person 10” then known as Meggs for 42 seconds.
• Between 2:24 and a couple of:33 p.m., Rhodes spoke with “Particular person 10” for practically 5½ minutes, after which “Particular person 10” and Meggs spoke. After James checked again with “Particular person 10,” he and Minuta jumped into the golf cart and headed towards the Capitol, the place they started harassing officers exterior the east doorways of the constructing. At 3:15 p.m., the 2 males entered the constructing, pushing previous police on the Rotunda doorways.
• Between 3:40 and 4:05 p.m., “Particular person 10” linked for 3 minutes with James, Minuta, and Rhodes for 3½ minutes. Shortly afterward, greater than a dozen Oath Keepers, together with many who had entered the Capitol, gathered round Rhodes simply exterior the constructing.

The communications throughout the crew additionally indicated that the insurrectionists had been following a beforehand mapped technique. Jessica Watkins, one of many leaders of the group that entered the Capitol, texted: “We have now an excellent group. We have now about 30-40 of us. We’re sticking collectively and sticking to the plan.”

“You’re executing citizen’s arrest,” one individual responded. “Arrest this meeting, we’ve got possible trigger for acts of treason, election fraud.”

Watkins responded: “We’re within the mezzanine. We’re in the principle dome proper now. We’re rocking it. They’re throwing grenades, they’re fticking capturing individuals with paint balls. However we’re in right here.”

One other individual advised Watkins to remain secure, then added: “Get it, Jess. Do your fucking factor. That is what we fucking [unintelligible] up for. The whole lot we fucking educated for.”

There was no indication within the indictment that the federal government is aware of the contents of the 19 calls, nor did it establish “Particular person 10.” In interviews, Rhodes has mentioned he had named as his on-the-ground crew chief a former Military explosives skilled and Blackwater contractor nicknamed “Whip.”

Justice Division officers have indicated they’re additionally contemplating bringing sedition fees towards the insurrectionists. “I personally imagine the proof is trending towards that, and doubtless meets these parts,” Michael Sherwin, the previous crew chief of the investigation, advised 60 Minutes. “I imagine the info do help these fees. And I believe that, as we go ahead, extra info will help that.”

Rhodes has been portraying himself as a possible martyr. At an anti-immigration occasion in Texas final weekend, he advised the viewers: “I’ll go to jail quickly. Not for something I really did, however for made-up crimes. There are some Oath Keepers proper now together with Proud Boys and different patriots who’re in D.C. who’re sitting in jail denied bail regardless of the supposed proper to a jury trial earlier than you’re discovered responsible and presumption of innocence, had been denied bail as a result of the powers that be don’t like their political opinions.”

He additionally claimed innocence for his members. “If we really supposed to take over the Capitol, we’d have taken it, and we’d have introduced weapons,” Rhodes mentioned. “That’s not why we had been there that day. We had been there to guard Trump supporters from antifa.”